Rubio: Iran war to end in weeks, not months – and US doesn’t need boots on ground to succeed

US secretary of state Marco Rubio is now speaking after the meeting of G7 foreign minister in France.

The US expects the Iran operation to conclude within weeks, not months, Rubio tells reporters.

“We have objectives and we are very confident we are on the verge of achieving them,” he says.

Rubio says Iran may decide to set up a tolling system on the Strait of Hormuz, before later saying any permanent toll on the waterway would be “unacceptable”.

There is nothing Russia is doing for Iran that is impeding or affecting US military operations in the country, he says when asked about ties between Moscow and Tehran.

Asked about the possibility of a potential US ground invasion of Iran, the secretary of state says: 

“We can achieve all of our objectives without ground troops. But we are always going to be prepared to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust to contingencies, should they emerge.”